With the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced it will engage the highest levels of national security leadership to ensure a peaceful and credible poll. The announcement came during a stakeholders’ forum in Osogbo, where INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan outlined a series of proactive measures aimed at addressing reported election-related violence and security threats in parts of the state.
Proactive Security Shift and Community Mediation
Speaking at the Osun State Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum on Wednesday, Amupitan said the commission has moved from a reactive security posture to a proactive, intelligence-led approach. He noted that INEC is working closely with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and other stakeholders to identify emerging threats, map localised risk corridors, and implement mitigation measures in vulnerable locations.
“We are engaging the highest levels of national security leadership to provide a neutral, professional, and impenetrable security blanket for our voters in Osun State,” Amupitan stated. He added that the commission has also begun engaging traditional rulers to de-escalate tensions before the election. “Only yesterday, we were at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife, where we met with a wide spectrum of our Royal Fathers across the state, and this issue was central to our engagement with them. We will also be at the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo to continue this engagement.”
Hotspot Identification and Specialised Deployments
Amupitan identified several local government areas as hotspots that will receive specialised, high-visibility security deployments. These include parts of Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun, and Oriade. Security agencies have been directed to neutralise thuggery, cult activities, and any attempt to disrupt the electoral process while maintaining professional neutrality.
“We cannot ignore the shadow that insecurity casts over our preparations for the Osun election. The Commission is deeply concerned by several reports of violence and threats. We recognise that insecurity is a direct assault on the sanctity of the ballot, and it is a menace we are determined to overcome,” Amupitan said.
Intelligence-Led Operations and Logistics Security
The INEC chairman emphasised that the commission is not merely monitoring threats but is proactively deploying intelligence-led security measures to every polling unit and collation centre. He said INEC is working closely with the Police and the Armed Forces to protect staff, materials, and voters. “We will meet any attempt to disrupt this election with the full, unyielding weight of the law,” he added.
Amupitan also assured voters that security arrangements have been incorporated into the commission’s logistics chain to guarantee the safe movement of sensitive election materials. “Our commitment is simple: no citizen should have to choose between their safety and their right to vote. We are working tirelessly with all security agencies to create a ‘security corridor’ that allows for a peaceful, free, and credible election. The ballot box, not the bullet, will decide the future of Osun State.”
Police Commissioner Outlines Operational Strategy
Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, also addressed the forum, stating that the command, in collaboration with INEC and other security agencies, has developed comprehensive operational strategies to guarantee the safety of voters, election officials, observers, journalists, and electoral materials before, during, and after the election.
According to Gotan, officers have been directed to act professionally, exercise maximum restraint, and employ lawful conflict management techniques where tension arises. He stressed that firm action will be taken against anyone found violating the Electoral Act or other extant laws. “Individuals or groups who attempt to disrupt the electoral process will be dealt with in accordance with the law, irrespective of their status or political affiliation,” Gotan said.
The police commissioner urged political actors to shun inflammatory rhetoric and violence, emphasising that “elections should be a contest of ideas, not a battlefield.”
Looking Ahead
As the August 15 election approaches, the combination of high-level security engagement, community mediation with traditional rulers, and intelligence-led operations represents a concerted effort by INEC and security agencies to prevent violence and ensure a credible outcome. The commission’s integration of the Electoral Risk Management framework into its planning, alongside the ICCES, underscores a systematic approach to addressing the security challenges that have cast a shadow over the electoral process.
